Being able to connect to the Internet wherever we may be, has become one thing we view as incredibly important. Many managers now have a cellular plan with a data connection and regularly check in with the office using tablets like the Apple iPad. What happens if you need to use your laptop, but don’t have access to Wi-Fi? With the new iPad, you can share your network connection.

Here’s how you can share your data connection.

Personal Hotspot
Apple calls this feature a Personal Hotspot, the community calls it a hotspot or tethering. In technical terms, a hotspot is any area you can connect to the Internet through Wi-Fi. In other words, Personal Hotspot turns your iPad into a router that can broadcast a Wi-Fi signal using your data plan.

This is beneficial to businesses with employees who spend time on the road, as they may not be able to connect to a traditional Wi-Fi network when they need to. As many wireless carriers provide near nationwide data coverage, it makes sense to use your cellular data plan to connect to the Internet.

How to turn your iPad into a hotspot
You can set up a hotspot on your iPad by:

1. Going to Settings and selecting General followed by Network.
2. Tapping Set Up Personal Hotspot at the top of your screen. Your iPad will check with your cellular carrier to see if they allow this feature. You’ll receive an error message if they don’t.
3. Selecting Personal Hotspot from the Settings screen.

To establish a hotspot, press Personal Hotspot and select Off/On. You have three different types of hotspots you can establish: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or USB. If you choose to use Wi-Fi, you’ll be given the option to set a password that users will need to enter to connect to the hotspot. To connect via Bluetooth or USB, follow the instructions on the Personal Hotspot screen. To turn off the hotspot, navigate back to the Personal Hotspot page and select Off/On.

It’s important to note that your cellular provider tracks how much data you use, this includes any devices connected via the hotspot. If you don’t have a plan with unlimited data you should monitor your data usage.

Personal Hotspot is an useful feature that provides you with another way to connect with the office while on the go. If you’re interested in ways you can leverage other features of the iPad to make your job easier, please contact us.

“Cybercrime”, “malware”, “hackers”. Three common buzzwords that have caused businesses untold amounts of lost profits, breached data, professional anxiety and clean-up pain. As much as we would like to say that cybercrime is waning or being eradicated, we can’t. It isn’t going away, but if you are aware of the common cybercrime trends, you can take steps to protect your business and yourself.

A quick Google search for “cybercrime trends” yields over 78 million results, the majority of which are likely to affect large enterprises or governments. While it’s beneficial for all businesses to be aware of the major trends, there are a number of threats that will affect small businesses more than others. Here are some current cybercrime trends that SMEs should be aware of.

Mobile Malware
Smartphones are becoming ever more popular, and with this popularity has come an exploding number of apps. Malware developers have been picking up on this during the past few years and there have been an expanding number of apps dedicated to attacking your phone or mobile platform. The most common type of malware on mobile devices is spyware, followed by SMS Trojans. SMS Trojans run in the background of some applications, and make international calls or text messages from the developers’ services causing huge phone bills. The final form of malware targets online payment apps on the phone.

One of the main reasons this form of malware has become so popular is due to the openness of some markets, such as the Android Market. The owners of the app markets are working to track down and get rid of the guilty apps on their marketplaces, but you still need to remain vigilant while installing apps. Look at the developer of the app – how many times has it been downloaded? Maybe double check the app’s integrity online before installing and double check the app on the internet. Look before you leap and refrain from “trying” the app du jour just because it exists. Unless you really need what it does and you’re sure it’s from a reputable publisher, you may be better off ignoring any app you might otherwise casually install.

Open-Source Malware Kits
A common thing malware developers do is write code for malware and then sell it to interested buyers. But a rising trend is that developers are writing malware that is open-source—any person can download and change it. The worrying thing is, many developers of already powerful malware have been releasing open-source versions of their software. This means that there will be an increase in the number of malware attacks out there, as devious developers can easily come up with more elaborate hacks.

Banking Trojans
Along with the open-source malware kits, there has been an increase in the number of banking trojans—aimed at stealing account information and passwords. While these trojans have been a threat ever since banks first started offering online banking, they have become popular again as people and businesses are starting to move their online banking onto mobile devices, and the trojan software is easily accessible. This makes mobile banking apps an easy target.

With cybercrime on the increase, now is a good time to review your security, ensure its up to date and remind employees of your mobile device policy. If you don’t have a policy in place, or feel that your security is inadequate, give us a call, we are happy to help you. Remember: with good security and knowledge, there is no reason you should fall victim to cyber theft.